Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER SONG: KING KONG BY MHD

Happy, happy birthday to ndippy I wish you many more years! Girrrrl we are getting old. Hope you enjoy this day. I dedicated this chapter to you, so don't be coming to me looking for a present or dinner plans. I'm broke.

"Nothing, I was just curious."

"Yeah, right, a guy doesn't just ask if a girl is single. Either you're asking for yourself or for someone else. So, which is it?"

Renée raised a brow, a knowing smile playing on her lips. When he said nothing, she tipped her head to the side as if to say 'I'm waiting'.

Kylian cursed himself. He'd forgotten how persistent Renée could be when she wanted something. Even during therapy sessions. When you want to go an extra mile, she pushed you to go four. She was all or nothing, a 'take no prisoners' kind of person.

He couldn't look her in the eye. It didn't help that his face started warming either, and he thank God for the fake manicured beard covering half his face. It was one thing admitting his feelings to his friends and another to Renée.

"Nothing's going on." He shrugged, "it's just that whenever I see her, she's always so busy and tired and I'm trying to understand what kind of person she's like outside work."

"Uh-hm." Renée smiled at him knowingly. Before she could say anything else, someone suddenly paused the music.

Kylian couldn't have been more glad for the person started addressing the crowd right then.

"Come on, it's starting. And you, my friend, are going to want to be in the front row."

"Why, what's starting?" he asked. But yet again, Renée simply grabbed his hand and expertly weaved through the mass of bodies with him in tow. Once they made it to the front row, where everyone had made an enormous circle around an older man with a microphone in his hand, addressing the crowd. Clapping excitedly, Renée leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"She doesn't normally take part in these at the Christmas party, but she mentioned something about a bet?" She grinned at him knowingly.

"I'm still confused. I thought coming here was about the bet." Kylian frowned.

"You'll see." She beamed, "and for the record, no Sapphie's not in a relationship right now. But there's this guy. I know she's interested, but if he is as smart as I think, he will make the first move."

Then she winked at him.

Kylian couldn't help but grin like a lunatic. An older lady holding a microphone made a couple more of announcements. Too ecstatic over what Renee had said, he caught little except that it had to do with things like the money they'd raised throughout the year and the things they'd accomplished with the community's help. After the official announcements were out of the way, it was time for the actual party to begin. The crowd liked the sound of that. Even more so when the man announced there would open the dance floor with a performance from one of the community centre's dance groups. When the lights dropped and the DJ put on an upbeat Afro song, Kylian could hardly believe his eyes. For a moment, Kylian froze when he saw Sapphie come out with the rest of the crew.

Now that he saw the entire dancing crew, her costume made that much more sense. The concept behind the routine seemed to be like Santa's elves were on break and turning the toy factory into a big dance party.

That was her surprise. The bet...

After the realisation dawned on him and the initial shock had worn off, he probably was her loudest cheer leader. When she gazed across the room, it was as if she'd heard him over everyone else, because she looked at him.

Then... the crowd went completely berserk when they started their routine. It was impossible to resist joining in on the fun. The atmosphere in the room went from anticipative to a full-blown 'blow the roof off the building' party.

Kylian had known Sapphie could dance-at least he'd only had her word to go by. But hadn't known she was that good.

Everyone was fantastic together, but he had his sights set on her. She danced with a mix of energetic and rhythmic movements. It worked so well with the music. She twirled around, dived low, and sprang up into the pulsing air, hands lifted in front of her face, tongue out. Quick footwork. Backward. Front. Kylian couldn't recall ever being so captivated by someone simply by seeing them do their thing-and he'd met some very remarkable people in his life.

She was phenomenal. And to top it off, at the end-she did something he hadn't expected. Renée explained each dancer had chosen different finishing moves. She'd told him, but he had understood nothing. That was until they watched Sapphie do her finishing move.

Sapphie ran from one end of the dance floor to the other and jumped into the air. She landed close to them and tucked her fingers under her arm pits just as she landed. Just like he always he did after scoring a goal.

Maybe it was the joy of being in the moment as the crowd showered them in applause, or that she'd done a great job. He was very familiar with the euphoria of coming out and put on an outstanding performance for the people. It was addictive and exhilarating. Kylian wasn't sure if it was what caused her to launch herself into his arms straight after. Frankly, he didn't care. He didn't stop to think about it either, as he picked her up and swing her around before setting her on her feet. She hugged Renée who practically did the same.

"How about that? Still Renée,ot any doubts?" She beamed up at her, a little breathless. The uncontainable joy on her face made her eyes sparkle, even in the poor lighting. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning!

"After that amazing performance? I'd be crazy to doubt you. I didn't know you were such an excellent dancer?"

"Now you know, let's see if you can keep up. Dance with me, Kyky!" She laughed and started hopping to the new song the DJ was playing. Kylian captured her hand in his and twirled her. Together, they danced for what felt like hours. He hadn't thought he'd have this much fun, but then again. In the best-case scenario, he'd expected someone to recognise him within an hour. But no, he'd danced, he'd laughed, and eaten without a care in the world. Just like how it was before he became famous. That was, until someone saw right through the beard and the hat hours later while they were standing by the snacks table.

"Uhh... Sapphie?" he cast a quick glance past her shoulder to where two boys spoke to each other animatedly while occasionally pointing in their direction.

"Hmm?"

"Don't look, but I think we've been made." He gave her a pointed look, then took a gummy bear from the bowl in front of him and popped it into his mouth.

Sapphie followed his gaze.

"I said don't look!" grasping her shoulders, he spun her back around.

"Well, that never works. People always end up looking." She argued, then tried again a few seconds later. More conspicuous this time.

"It's just two guys, just... act natural. They'll probably think they were wrong." She shrugged, then reached for another sausage roll. "Now, what did Cale say he wanted again?"

He set his paper plate down and turned so he was facing the table and giving them his profile. "I don't think that's going to work. Make it five guys with their phone cameras pointed at us now."

"Talk about our cue to leave the building," she mumbled before looking up at him. "Okay, no one panic. You want to meet 'em or ditch 'em?"

"Are you kidding me? Not that I hate meeting with fans or anything-they make everything possible for me, but I've been enjoying a publicity free night tonight and I would like to keep it that way. I doubt these guys will keep it a secret if I 'meet' them."

"Dang it, good point. Are they walking up to us?"

As inconspicuously as he could, Kylian shot another glance over her shoulder, "... Yeah. Are you sure I don't need to call over Martin and Paul?"

Martin and Paul were his bodyguards. They'd told them to relax a little. Since it was a costume party, he'd convinced them he wouldn't need them so close. But now...? It didn't seem like such a good idea to have suggested it. Only heaven knew which side of the room they were.

"Okay. On the count of the three, we make a break for it."

"That's you best idea?" Kylian stared at her.

"You got a better one? Cause those guys are closing in fast."

"Fine." He sighed.

"One three. Ready?"

He nodded. His muscles tensed in anticipation.

"One, two..."

"Three!" She grabbed his hand and together they bolted across the room. Mindless of the complaining victims, they occasionally bumped into.

"Hey!" complained a girl whose drink spilled onto the floor after Kylian bumped into her.

"Sorry!" He yelled over his shoulder without stopping.

"Kylian! Hey, that's Kylian Mbappé!" The group of guys shouted after them.

The two of them navigated their way through the sea of people until they made it out of the main hall and down the stairs. When they heard the pitter patter of feet following them, they didn't stop until they made it outside.

"Which way?" he looked left then right the second they burst out the main door.

"This way, I have an idea." They ran about two blocks down from the community centre. By then they could hear their pursers shouting after them. Just when Kylian thought Sapphie's plan included them simply trying to outrun the small mob chasing after them, she led them around another corner. Before they reached another turn, she led him into a narrow and shadowy alleyway. They crouched behind a dumpster, plastering their backs against the wall. Less than a minute later, they heard the group rush past their hiding spot, none the wiser.

For a while, breathing heavily, neither of them said a word. It took a second to fully process what had just happened, how comical it must have looked. They stared at each other, and that was all it took for them to burst out laughing.

"I can't believe that just happened." She wheezed.

"Still think it was a good idea to not have bodyguards tonight." Kylian wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

Sapphie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh shut up. It worked, didn't it?"

"A little peculiar, but yes." He laughed then

Once the light-hearted moment had passed and Sapphie could think clearly, she also became more aware of her surroundings. The smell of garbage right beside her, the rough brick wall against her back and the fact that closer to Kylian than she'd thought. Their sides were we practically plastered together from shoulder to hip. The warmth from his body seeped through his coat and her into her own. She'd been close to him before... but never like this. At least not in a non-professional setting. His breath was fanning her cheek! When she looked up into his dark eyes, her gaze instinctively fell to his lips, then back. Her heart skipped a beat.

But one look acted like a shot of adrenaline. Or rather, the articles about his relationship zoomed past her mind's eye and that was enough to prompt her into action.